Clasp.



N0; 842,987. "BATENTED FEB. 5. 1907.

W. H. WILLIAMSON.

CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED rams. 1906.

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, closed position.

WILLIAM H. WILLIAMSON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed February 9,1906. Serial No. 300.249.

To 610% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. VVILLIAM- SON, of the city of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps Especially Adapted for Hose-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to devise a clasp which will give an absolutely secure grip and which will not tear the fabric to which it is clasped; and my invention consists, essentially, of a clasp in which one of the jaws is cupped and the other jaw provided with a disk of soft material adapted to enter the cup and in which the jaws are forced into contact with one another by means of a wedge engaging the upper jaw, and also a lug or lugs extending up from the lower jaw.

My invention further consists in various details of construction substantially as here inafter more specifically described and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of my improved clasp. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the device in the Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under side of the clasp. Fig. 5 is a section on the line a a, in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on the line b b in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing the roughening of the surface of the wedge and upper jaw.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The clasp comprises two jaws A and 13, having a hinged spring connection at the point a. This hinged spring connection is preferably given by forming the aws of integral pieces of metal, the two parts being bent to form a loop at the point a. This loop serves for engagement with the eye C, with which the elastic or webbing is connected.

The end of the under jaw A is provided with a cup D, preferably formed by stamping up the edges of the metal.

To the upper jaw is connected a disk E of rubber, cork, or other comparatively soft material. This disk, it will be noticed on reference particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, is adapted to enter the cup formed on the lower jaw. It is secured in place by means of a simple rivet b, the head of which projects slightly.

WVithin the cup the lower jaw is provided with the slits c 0. Through these slits a piece of elastic or webbing is drawn, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, the webbing being carried up to the eye O. Thus the elastic or webbing F serves to prevent perspiration reaching the metal of the under jaw, which results in the formation of verdigris, and the webbing within the cup also serves to in* crease the security of the grip on the fabric and may be termed a pad.

The head of the rivet may also embed itself in this webbing, and thus further add to the security of the grip. The grip then depends on the engagement of the fabric by the edges of the cup and the edges of the disk, on the direct engagement of the fabric between the webbing and the face of the disk, and on the gripafforded by the head of the rivet.

I find in practice that this grip will hold under as great a strain as the elastic is capable of imparting and without in any way tearingthe fabric.

The jaws are clamped together by means of the wedge G, which slides on the upper jaw B and engages the inwardly-turned edges of lugs II, which are formed integral with the under jaw, subsequently being turned up at right angles thereto and their upper edges bent into hooks to engage the edges of the wedge, as shown particularly in Fig. 6.

The wedge, it will be seen, is preferably formed-of sheet metal stamped up to a U shape in cross-section. This enables the wedge to be made very light and provides edges which may engage the hooks on the lugs H, so that the lugs cannot be bent outwardly and the wedge thus allowed to drop out. The small end of the wedge is provided with a ribbed or hooked end I, by means of which it may be drawn up to clasp the jaws together. This hook also serves by engaging the lugs H to prevent the wedge from dropping out when the clasp is opened, as shown in Fig. 1. Guide-lugs J are also preferably formed integral with the edges of the upper part of the clasp, and subsequently turned upwardly to form a shallow trough in which the wedge may run. Of course under many conditions the lugs H may be a suiiicient guide for the wedge.

In order that the wedge shall not slip when the clasp is closed, I prefer to roughen or corrugate its under surface and also the upper surface of the upper jaw, as shown particularly at d in Fig. 7.

I find that this construction of the clamping means for the clasp is not only simple and reliable, but is also easily manufactured, while the clasp as a whole presents a neat appearance.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A clasp comprising jaws hinged together, one of said jaws having a cup formed thereon; a disk of soft material secured to the other jaw and adapted to enter the cup; a pad in the bottom of the cup of less area than the said bottom; and means for forcing the jaws I together, substantially as described.

2. A clasp comprising aws hinged together, one of said jaws having a cup formed thereon; a disk of soft material secured to the other jaw and adapted to enter the cup a pad in the bottom of the cup; a rivet securing the disk in place and having a head adapted to bed in the pad; and means for forcing the jaws together, substantially as described.

3. A clasp comprising jaws hinged to gether, one of said jaws having a cup formed thereon provided in its bottom with two transverse slots; a piece of fabric drawn through the slots and carried up the back of the clasp to form a shield; a disk of soft material secured to the other aw and adapted to enter the cup; and means for forcing the jaws together, substantially as described.

Toronto, ()ntario, February 5, 1906.

WILLIAM H. WILLIAMSON.

In presence of- J. EDW. MAYBEE, C. S. BALE. 

